PLANT PROTECTION 1 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds

.
PLANT PROTECTION 1 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds
Description of some weeds species (contd)
Dicotyledons - Broadleaved weeds – .SMALL OR FINE LEAVES.
(many flat or mat forming)
CHICKWEED (Stellaria media)
Type
Leaves
Flowers
Seeds
Roots
Spread
Overwintering delicate herbaceous annual
weed. Occurs universally in cultivated
ground in high rainfall areas. Garden
weed, competes with desired annual
plants, eg flowers, vegetables. Do not
confuse with petty spurge. Mainly
vigorous in spring.
Small, light green, shiny and soft, on
scrambling angular stems. Elliptical and
opposite.
Very small, white, star-like, solitary on
thin axillary stems.
Red-brown in colour.
Fine and fibrous. Not stoloniferous. Does
not resist close mowing. Can be hand
weeded.
By seed.
Caryphyllaceae
Leaves on young plant
PETTY SPURGE, RADIUM WEED (Euphorbia peplus)
Type Often a persistent small annual widespread
herbaceous weed of cultivation. Occurs in
gardens and surrounds. Been associated
with poisoning of livestock, loss of
appetite, reduced egg laying in fowls. Do
not confuse with chickweed.
Leaves Small, light green, opposite, oval on many
finely branched stems. Reddish stems
with milky sap. Leaves often infected with
rust.
Flowers Small inconspicuous yellow-green on flattopped
clusters of stems.
Seeds Pale gray, pitted. Can reproduce all the
year round.
Roots Fine fibrous or tap root, stems break at the
crown allowing the root to regrow.
Spread By seed.
Euphorbiacese
Leaves and flowers
Weeds - Biology, classification and identification 421